President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to the 14 South African soldiers killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), praising their courage and determination. Speaking at a memorial service at Swartkop Air Force Base in Pretoria, he vowed that their sacrifice would not be in vain.
“We have fulfilled our duty to bring our soldiers back home. We must fulfil our duty to complete their mission,” Ramaphosa stated.
The remains of the fallen soldiers have been returned to their families. The troops were part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) and United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission when they were killed in clashes with the armed rebel group M23 in eastern DRC last month.
Defence Force Chief Rudzani Maphwanya addressed the bereaved families, emphasizing that the soldiers understood the significance of their mission to restore peace in the DRC. He dismissed claims that the South African troops were ill-equipped, stating that criticism was unwarranted at this time.
“We have done as much as we could in the circumstances that we found ourselves. Our people were armed, resourced, and capable of meeting the challenge that they faced,” Maphwanya asserted.
Despite the tragic loss, Ramaphosa reaffirmed that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will continue its peacekeeping mission in the region.